1999 Ford Escort Heat

Everything works with the heat except it won't blow hot air, you can't hear it changing from defrost to floor to dash etc, so we're assuming its something to do with a vacuum modulator, there is an after market radio installed so we're thinking that when it was put in a vacuum line was knocked lose and finally came undone. The line is hot after the thermostat so we don't think its the thermostat. We would just like to know how we get to this line so we can get the heat working again!

Thanks

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Wednesday, November 10th, 2010 AT 6:30 PM

8 Replies

BLUELIGHTNIN6

EXPERT

17,049 POSTS

Was the radio installed by a shop or yourself? Shops usually put anti theft locking devices on so you may have to go back to that shop to have radio removed in order to access the vacuum lines of the a/c / heater system.

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Wednesday, November 10th, 2010 AT 6:36 PM

BRANDNOS

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I didn't personally install it but I'm pretty sure it was installed by someone else, not a place where they install them. I just bought the car 2 months ago and it hasn't been driven in 8 months. It worked fine when I bought it and didn't have a problem until last week after I turned it off and restarted it. Thinking I hit the right bump to knock a line out of place

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Wednesday, November 10th, 2010 AT 6:44 PM

BLUELIGHTNIN6

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17,049 POSTS

The aftermarket radio should just slide out if you can get a flat bladed tool on each side and pry it outward

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Wednesday, November 10th, 2010 AT 7:13 PM

BRANDNOS

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Right, but where is the vacuum modulator in there! Do you think that could be why the heat isn't working? Because like I said before you can't hear it changing vents and the hose is warm after the thermostat so it has to be pinched somewhere

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Wednesday, November 10th, 2010 AT 7:19 PM

BLUELIGHTNIN6

EXPERT

17,049 POSTS

The air being warm and the air not blowing is 2 different issues. If the air is not blowing out at all then that has nothing to do with thermostat. That is a vacuum leak or control panel issue, likely vacuum. There is a vacuum resevoir tank which is behind the dash that may also be at fault.

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Wednesday, November 10th, 2010 AT 7:22 PM

BRANDNOS

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Well it blows cold air. How would we get to the vacuum tank reservoir? We think that is the problem because they hose is warm after the thermostat and if there was a problem with the thermostat it wouldn't be warm anywhere

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Wednesday, November 10th, 2010 AT 7:29 PM

BLUELIGHTNIN6

EXPERT

17,049 POSTS

If its blowing cold air when set on hot AND it wont change position then i wouldn't be surprised if the heater control panel is not at fault, may want to remove it and check it out. below are steps on removing control panel and the vacuum resevoir..

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Wednesday, November 10th, 2010 AT 7:44 PM

BRANDNOS

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Okay Thanks! I'm guessing its something along the lines of that since they did remove the whole dash when they put the after market radio in. The lights for the heat controls aren't working either, so that could be the problem!